July 2003
Local loop and connectivity upgrades on track
State-of-the-art optical and routing gear is already installed and operational in several Ontario cities only weeks after announcing an investment of $5.8 million in local loop and connectivity upgrade funding to several ORION user organizations.
High-end gear is already installed and operational for local loop connectivity at MacMaster University in Hamilton, Lakehead University and Confederation College in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury.
London's LARG*net equipment is installed and operational and is ready to connect five institutions, including the University of Western Ontario, Fanshawe College, London Health Science, St. Joseph's Health Care and the John P. Robarts Research Institute.
The work is proceeding thanks to an investment of $5.8 million in funding by the Ontario Government and Optical Regional Advanced Network of Ontario (ORANO) to post-secondary and research institutions to allow them to connect to the ORION network.
The funding, part of SuperBuild Corporation's $32.3 million investment in the ORION project, goes towards equipment upgrade and connectivity projects that will enable institutions and organizations to connect to the network.
Announced on April 28, 2003 by Ontario's Associate Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation David Turnbull and ORANO Board Chair Dr. Ross Paul, the contribution will leverage total investment of $14.4 million.
"The ORION network builds on this government's goals by ensuring the province remains at the forefront of global research and scientific and medical discoveries," said Turnbull. "It will also optimize Ontario's current investment in R&D infrastructure, strengthening this province's research capacity in areas such as engineering, technology and medicine. This is an important step in connecting Ontario's leading research and education institutions locally and internationally, so they can participate in innovative global research projects."
By bringing us the most advanced optical network infrastructure in Canada, ORION sets the stage for new developments in research and education throughout the Province, said Dr. Ross Paul, Chair of ORANO and President of the University of Windsor. "Our best researchers, teachers and students will now have the high speed and high powered connections that will allow them to excel in the new digital knowledge economy."
The April 28, 2003 announcement was made at an official "fibre-splicing ceremony" marking the opening of ORANO's new offices in Toronto.
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